1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, generally, to vegetated buffer systems. More particularly, it relates to an outflow plumbing device system that adjusts the water table inside these systems and controls the retention time and allows for water reuse, thus aiding in water conservation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Vegetated buffer systems, typically used for smaller scaled residential and municipal purposes, are often referred to as ‘rain gardens’ or bioswales and are a plant based system used to manage stormwater runoff. They are typically located in a low point or depression of the landscape designed to slow down and/or capture stormwater runoff. It is a low impact development, non-point pollution practice used to mitigate stormwater pollutants in runoff by directing surface flows to the vegetated buffer system. A vegetated buffer system with a similar function of nutrient and contaminant removal used in larger scaled applications, such as agriculture, municipalities and industry are often referred to as a bioretention cells, vegetated strips, or bioswales.
Plants and microbiota in these vegetated buffer systems are utilized to mitigate pollution in runoff by adsorbing dissolved nutrients, metals, pathogens, hydrocarbons, and other contaminants via plant root uptake and soil microbial activities. Key to the effectiveness and the consistency of vegetated buffer system's contaminant removal is a) water retention time and adjustment of the garden water table height in the system to allow for plant root uptake and microbial utilization and b) soil composition.
Accordingly, what is needed is a more effective system and method for controlling water retention time, adjusting water tables and allowing for the reuse of the water captured by a the vegetated buffer system. However, in view of the art considered as a whole at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill how the art could be advanced.
While certain aspects of conventional technologies have been discussed to facilitate disclosure of the invention, Applicants in no way disclaim these technical aspects, and it is contemplated that the claimed invention may encompass one or more of the conventional technical aspects discussed herein.
The present invention may address one or more of the problems and deficiencies of the prior art discussed above. However, it is contemplated that the invention may prove useful in addressing other problems and deficiencies in a number of technical areas including water retention and reuse of “green roofs”. Therefore, the claimed invention should not necessarily be construed as limited to addressing any of the particular problems or deficiencies discussed herein.
In this specification, where a document, act or item of knowledge is referred to or discussed, this reference or discussion is not an admission that the document, act or item of knowledge or any combination thereof was at the priority date, publicly available, known to the public, part of common general knowledge, or otherwise constitutes prior art under the applicable statutory provisions; or is known to be relevant to an attempt to solve any problem with which this specification is concerned.